Review #874: Blue Hawaii (1961)

Title: Blue Hawaii
Year: 1961
Director: Norman Taurog
Country: US
Language: English

For Paramount, producer Hal Wallis returned to the format that had worked so well for him and Elvis in G.I. Blues the year before. It was a formula of musical comedy laced throughout with plenty of Elvis tunes. The success of Elvis’s first post-army film and the relatively low box office returns of 20th Century Fox’s two dramatic vehicles for Elvis - both notable for not having much of a score- brought into focus the King's natural musical charisma. 

Chad Gates (Elvis Presley) has just gotten out of the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surf-board, his beach buddies, and his girlfriend. His father wants him to go to work at the Great Southern Hawaiian Fruit Company, but Chad is reluctant.

Elvis’s acting ability was certainly not challenged in Blue Hawaii, but he handled his modest duties with enthusiasm and humor. At age 26, his physical maturity had put him beyond the “angry young man” role he had played in all but one of his previous seven films. The supporting cast provided a nice romantic atmosphere for our main character to interact with. Angela Lansbury nearly steals the film from Elvis, despite seeing Blue Hawaii as a low point in her career. 

The immediate screen chemistry between Elvis and his beautiful co-star, Joan Blackman, portraying the couple in love, is quite in evidence here and they both play off each other amicably. Of course he wouldn't be the King of Rock without a decent number of showtunes. These songs blended the local islands traditional themes('Aloha-oe', 'Ku-u-i-po', 'Island of Love'), with silly production tunes('Ito Eats' and 'Almost Always True') and a taste of the new movie-style rock 'n' roll numbers ('Rock-A-Hula Baby' and 'Slicin' Sand'). Its score became one of the best selling soundtracks of all time. 


Walter Tyler’s colorful sets and natural backdrops combine wonderfully with Charles Lang Jr.’s picturesque photography, Warren Low’s snappy editing. Elvis certainly has made better films (Jailhouse Rock) but that doesn't mean Blue Hawaii isn't good cinematic entertainment.